GCCI Hosts Inaugural Gujarat Sustainability Summit 2025: A Net Carbon Neutral Event
Industry-Academia Collaboration for Sustainability
BILKULONLINE
By Rafat Quadri
Ahmedabad, March 2: The Gujarat Chamber of Commerce & Industry (GCCI) successfully organized the GCCI Gujarat Sustainability Summit 2025 at Hotel Kristar LLP, marking a significant step in advancing sustainable business practices across the region. As the first industry-led summit of its kind in Gujarat, the event brought together over 30 distinguished speakers and knowledge partners from diverse sectors, alongside international experts, to foster dialogue on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) initiatives.
Driving the ESG Agenda
The summit served as a platform for policymakers, industry leaders, and sustainability experts to collaborate and exchange insights on global best practices. Participants from the manufacturing, technology, energy, and finance sectors, as well as international delegates from the UK, Denmark, and the Netherlands, contributed to the discussions, underscoring the global relevance of sustainability.
GCCI President Sandeep Engineer welcomed Quality Council of India Chairperson Jaxay Shah, GCCI Vice President Apurva Shah, GCCI Hon. Secretary Gaurang Bhagat, ESG Taskforce Chairman Sameer Sinha, speakers, and guests.
Sandeep emphasized the summit’s role in shaping a sustainable future for Gujarat, India, and the world, stressing that ESG is no longer a buzzword but a global imperative. With regulators and customers increasingly prioritizing sustainability, he highlighted the necessity for Indian companies to align with evolving global standards, such as those set by the European Union, to remain competitive in international supply chains. He also detailed the formation of a dedicated ESG task force aimed at simplifying ESG compliance for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), reinforcing the urgency of proactive ESG adoption in line with the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Panchamrit initiative.
Gujarat’s Leadership in Sustainability
Delivering the keynote address, Jaxay Shah described the summit as a testament to Gujarat’s industrial leadership. As India moves toward its Viksit Bharat 2047 vision, he highlighted Gujarat’s role in driving sustainable industrial growth. Under Narendra Modi’s leadership, India is rapidly emerging as a global hub for renewable energy, sustainable manufacturing, and digital transformation. Shah introduced the PRIDE framework—Preserve & Protect, Reduce Carbon, Impact & Innovate, Dominate through Diligence, and Evolved Ecosystem—as a strategic roadmap for India’s sustainable industrial future. He stressed that Gujarat’s development is crucial to India’s ambition of becoming a developed nation by 2047.
Key Discussions and Industry Insights
- The summit featured in-depth sessions on critical topics, including:
- Vision for a Sustainable Gujarat and achieving the 2070 net-zero target
- Global Sustainability Scenario
- The Reality of Profitable Sustainability and the Economics of Low-Carbon Transition
- Future-Ready MSMEs and the Need for Collective Industry Action
- Green Policy and Finance in India
- Charting the Path Forward
The valedictory session of the summit closed on a forward-looking and collaborative note. Sameer Sinha reflected on the key takeaways, reinforcing the importance of collective action to achieve sustainability goals. He emphasized that the journey toward a sustainable future requires active participation from businesses, policymakers, academia, and civil society. The summit, he noted, served as a catalyst for meaningful change, urging participants to translate discussions into actionable initiatives aligned with global sustainability standards.
Over 20 esteemed institutions, including IIT-Gandhinagar, the Centre for Sustainability and Corporate Governance Research, the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, and Adani University, participated in the event, offering diverse perspectives and expertise. Sustainability heads from leading corporations also shared insights on their initiatives and experiences, underscoring the need to integrate sustainable practices into business operations.
A Commitment to Carbon Neutrality
Reaffirming GCCI’s commitment to sustainability, the event achieved carbon neutrality by offsetting an estimated 16 tonnes of CO2 emissions through a Miyawaki Tree Plantation initiative, with over 650 trees to be planted.
The GCCI Gujarat Sustainability Summit 2025 concluded with a resounding call to action, urging businesses, policymakers, and industry leaders to make sustainability a cornerstone of Gujarat’s and India’s economic future. The event set a precedent for future collaborations, reinforcing the necessity of collective efforts to build a sustainable and prosperous tomorrow.
(Rafat Quadri can be contacted at editorbilkul@gmail.com)
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